Remembering the Life and Legacy of Ranger Betty Reid Soskin

National Recognition

One of the defining highlights of Soskin’s remarkable life came in 2015 when President Barack Obama personally invited her to light the National Christmas Tree in Washington, D.C. During the ceremony, she received a commemorative coin bearing the presidential seal—a symbolic gesture honoring her lifelong dedication to civil rights, historical preservation, and public service.

Reflecting on the experience in 2021, Soskin described it as surreal: “I look at it now and it seems almost unreal. It was something I never had dreamed, and it turned out to be wonderful.”

Even into her later years, Soskin remained deeply engaged with politics and current events.

In interviews, she reflected candidly on the political climate, drawing connections between the civil rights struggles she witnessed firsthand and the challenges of the present day.

Speaking to The Guardian, she remarked, “I follow politics very closely. Even going through the 50s and the 60s with civil rights, that was all progress. But I don’t feel as if that’s so now.”

She expressed concern over contemporary political leadership, particularly during the Trump era, stating, “It seemed to me that [Trump] has no idea what he’s doing.

I think we’ve lost our sense of direction. And that’s terrifying to me because I’m going to leave the world in such a shape.”

Her perspective was shaped by over a century of observation—an understanding of history that only someone who lived through decades of change could possess.

Soskin’s commitment to truth, education, and justice made her a guiding voice, reminding the nation of the work still required to achieve equality.

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